The Princess of Wales charmed both onlookers – and her husband – as she tried her hand at curling during a trip to Scotland.
Kate, 44, giggled as she and William, 43, took to the ice at the National Curling Academy in Stirling; and while both are naturally competitive when it comes to sport, the mother-of-three had the Prince’s full support while she had a go.
He made sure she was steady on her feet, guiding her onto the rink and watching her step, before she crouched down for her first attempt.
She tentatively took to the 45-metre long sheet, hoisting her long skirt up and tucking her hair behind her ear, the princess got into position. Despite seeming hesitant, the future queen was poised as ever, gracefully navigating the unsteady terrain in her elegant attire and black suede boots from Gianvito Rossi.
Appearing increasingly nervous to spring off, William told her: ‘Just lean on both Catherine,’ in reference to the red stone and the delivery stick, used for beginners to help steady themselves.
She then pushed off but immediately lost her balance. Laughing off the wobble, she quickly regained control but in the commotion forgot to let go of the stone.
‘Come on,’ she said, having only managed to go a few metres in front of the starting point, before pushing the stone forward.
The princess could hardly contain her laughter as she struggled – but was determined to do her best.
The Princess of Wales charmed both onlookers – and her husband – as she tried her hand at curling during a trip to Scotland
Kate, 44, giggled as she and William, 43, took to the ice at the National Curling Academy in Stirling; and while both are naturally competitive when it comes to sport, the mother-of-three had the Prince’s full support as she had a go
Keen to correct her mistake, she asked if she could have another go, and was delighted to be told by Nigel Holl, executive performance director from British curling, that they would now be going head to head.
With the help of two sweepers each, the future king and queen were challenged to get closest to the button, the centre of the house.
The couple were in attendance to wish the Team GB and Paralympics GB Curling teams good luck ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games that start in Milano-Cortina next month.
Curling, which sees players slide stones across the ice towards a target area, is one of Team GB and Paralympics GB’s most successful winter sports, earning six Olympic medals and two Paralympic medals to date.
But the prince and princess soon learned just how difficult it is to master the sport after being given a short introduction of how to throw the stone.
Skips Bruce Mouat and Jennifer Dodds gave them a five-minute demonstration on how to push off from the rubber hack, a foothold in the ice, and use the slippery sole they were given to propel themselves forward.
The pair also greeted members of the public after a visit to Radical Weavers, a working handweaving studio and charity, where they shared a heart-warming moment.
As Catherine and William both greeted royal fans and took pictures with those eager to catch a glimpse of them, the prince placed his hand on her upper back.
She tentatively took to the 45-metre long sheet, hoisting her long skirt up and tucking her hair behind her ear, the princess got into position
The Princess of Wales was all smiles as she tried curling at the National Curling Academy in Stirling
Appearing increasingly nervous to spring off, William told her: ‘Just lean on both Catherine,’ in reference to the red stone and the delivery stick
The Prince of Wales also had a go at curling at the National Curling Academy in Stirling on Tuesday
The Waleses were all smiles as they posed to take selfies with the crowd, and Princess Kate accepted flowers from onlookers.
Later, the husband and wife visited The Goth – short for The Gothenburg – A pub in Fallin, a former mining village four miles east of Stirling.
As they arrived, the pair ignored a lone heckler who shouted: ‘How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? Have you been covering up for Andrew?’
Upon entering The Goth, William revealed that he ‘absolutely loves pubs’ and wants to help as he sat with a group of local men.
Catherine refused a drink as she sat down at a table to speak to local school teachers while William nursed half a pint of cider.
Named after a Swedish tradition where profits are funnelled back into the community, there were previously 50 ‘Goth’ pubs in the county, but now there are just four.
Before the advent of the NHS, the tavern paid for a doctor and a nurse to help people living nearby.
Today, the two flats above the pub offer cheap rent to young people who are saving money to get on the housing ladder.
Onlookers, including her husband William, cheered Kate on. The princess then high-fived Scottish curler Jen Dodds
Kate beamed and giggled as she tried her hand at the winter sport – after an initial wobble on the ice
William cheered his wife on in the background, as she tried her hand at the curling during their visit
Kate grinned and laughed after she had a go on the ice, keen to correct her initial stumble, while curling
The pub has a long history in Fallin, which developed as a mining village around the Polmaise Colliery.
As well as providing a place for miners to drink after work, it also became a focal hub for the community, with supervisors able to keep tabs on workers drinking too much.
The village became well-known during the miners’ strike of the 1980s when workers were among the first to strike and the last to return during the protest.
Meanwhile, the future king was told how the pub continues to promote its strong links with the community, including a nearby bowls club, which dates back to 1911.
‘It’s crucial. It’s the human-to-human contact, isn’t it, rather than just being on the phone or watching TV,’ William said of hearing the pub’s impact.
Meanwhile, on another table, Catherine was given a crocheted bunny for her daughter, Princess Charlotte, by Adele Hodgson.
The 70-year-old had taken up the hobby around a year ago and auctions off her creations to raise money for the local hospice, Strathcarron.
The princess said: ‘She will absolutely love that. She’s got lots of teddies on her bed. Well done, that must have taken a long time. Thank you so much.’
Before the royal couple left, Catherine spotted the prince’s unfinished drink and said: ‘You need to finish that.’
However, William simply laughed and replied that he wanted to stay on his ‘best behaviour’.
The princess was then presented with a bouquet while William was given a Guinness glass engraved with the pub’s logo – and inside was a scroll gifting him ten shares of the business.
Colin Campbell, 65, a retired engineer and another shareholder, described his encounter with the prince as ‘surreal’.
‘They said the King’s son was coming and I thought, obviously, it would be this one. For the last couple of weeks I’ve thought it was a wind up that they were coming.’
After leaving, the prince and princess crouched down to speak to some young children and their mothers who had come out to greet them.
William spoke to Jade Cousin, 33, and her daughter Sophie, 5, about what activities she was doing and her swimming lessons.
Princess Catherine wore a coat designed by Chris Kerr with cloth woven by Johnstons of Elgin for HRH.
The design was seen as a nod to her commitment to champion and celebrate British textiles and design, a spokesman said.
The couple’s visit to the pub comes shortly after they showcased their competitive side as they took to the ice to try their hand at curling earlier today.
